Laundry machine having washing, rinsing, and liquid expelling means



Nov. 13, 1951 E. c. OLSON LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 23, 1945 iNVENTOR.

A T'T'OB NEY! 'E/(VEE C 04 50M INVENTOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I E nvse C. 0450M E. C. OLSON LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND wuwlnml lnl x l amuuu IIIIIIH I I III HHHPIIIII LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS M, Mum Mag Nov. 13, 1951 Filed Nov. 23, 1945 1951 E. c. OLSON LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND 7 Filed Nov. 23, 1945 LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 A INVENTOR. ENEE C. 04.50

flrrae-c MUA, miwbem Nov. 13, 1951 E. .c. OLSON LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 2:5, 1945 Nov. 13, 1951 OLSON 2,574,752

E. C. LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS Filed Nov. 25, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 v INVENTOR. E7/v5 C. 04 aa/v I R ArM,A1ZuZ AM NOV. E. C. OLSON LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS Filed Nov. 23, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. E INE/E C. 0450 Nov. 13, 1951 E. c. OLSON 2,574,752

LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSING AND LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS '7 SheetsSheet 7 Filed Nov. 23, 1945 INVENTOR. EM EE C. 0.4 s a Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING WASHING, RINSIN G, AND LIQUID EXPELLING MEANS Einer 0. Olson, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 23, 1945, Serial No. 630,213

21 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in laund y machines, with particular reference to machines of that type in which eachpatrons clothing is segregated in separate drums or baskets according to the character of the clothing and the requirements for cleansing it, and then advanced from .a loading station step by step for successive washing and rinsing operations.

The primary objects of my invention are to provide practical means for avoiding contamination of the clothing of each patron from that of other patrons, and for interposingbetween the last rinsing station and the unloading station, means for quickly expelling the watery content of the clothing and delivering it in suficiently dry condition for immediate ironing.

Further objects are to provide for reducing the number of required operators by increasing the mechanical or'automatic controlsto provide improved means whereby the water content of the tubs at each washing and rinsing station maybe automatically replaced with pure water at the required temperature after each washing or rinsing operation-to provide improved means for returning the empty drums to the loadin station; to provide for controlling the water'expelling and drum returning operations without interference with the loading, washing and rinsing operations-and, in general, to provide reliable means for successively delivering cleansed and substan tially dried family washes at intervals of about four or five minutes.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a laundry machine embodying my invention in its preferred form, with its driving connections and water supply pipes removed.

Figure 2 is a detail cross sectional view, showing one set of washing tubs and drums.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view, enlarged, showing the driving connections of the spinner.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the unloading end of the machine, with parts broken away, as indi- .cated.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the driving connections, and with portions of the drum returning conveyor broken away.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on 1ine.-6.--6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, drawn to line "1"! of Figure 5.

Figure :8 is a plan view of the tubs, crank broken away.

Figure 9 is a view of the same, partly in side elevation and partly in sectiomtaken on line 9--9 of Figure 8, showing also the means for opening the outlet valves.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail side view of the valve mechanism of the water supply connections and'associated parts.

Figure 11 is a fragmentaryend elevation of the same.

Figure 12 is aplan view of the same, showing the supply pipes-in cross section.

Figurel3 is a detail sectional view of one of the water inlet valves.

respectively on line 11-41 of Figure 15, and line Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In its general organization, a series of sets of washing tubs, rinsing tubs, and one .set of tub-like spinner receptacles are disposed along a line of washing drum advancement and corresponding sets of washing drums or baskets,

each free for removal if desired, are advanced step by step from a, filling and loading station, and successively assembled with each set of tubs in the tub series for washing, rinsing and spinning operations. Each set of drums is then advanced to an unloading station where their charges of clothing are removed, whereupon the empty set of drums is carried by a line of controlled conveyors to the filling or loading station tobe refilled and the operation repeated. A sumcient number of drum sets is employed under the control of two operators, one at the loading station and the other at the unloading station, to enable a family wash to be delivered every few minutes as long as the supply ofbundles of clothing can be maintained.

In the illustrated embodiment, a single elongated tank 20,-mounted in a correspondingly elongated rectangular frame :2 l, is divided by longitudinal partitions 22 and cross partitions 23 into a row of tubs A for white clothing, a row of tubs B for light colored clothing, and a row of .tubs .C for dark clothing (Figures 2 and 7 to 12,;inc1uslve *There will preferably 'be as manyrows of :tubs as there are kinds .or classes of clothing 'to be separately bundled and washed, but in the drawings only three rows of tubs are illustrated. The transverse dimensions of each tub will determine its relative capacity as compared with the tubs in the other rows, all of the tubs and tub-like receptacles being of the same depth and the same dimensions along lines extending longitudinally of the tank. The frame 2| is supported b posts 24.

Each row of water receiving tubs is supplied from below through a pipe a, 30b, and 30c, reduced in diameter under each tub as indicated at 3| in Figure 9, and immediately preceding each reduction it is connected with the associated tank by a vertical pipe 32, the reductions in diameter being calculated to progressively reduce the capacity of the pipe 30 from its receiving end so as to deliver equal quantities of water to each tub in the row. The pipes 30 under each row of tubs A, B and C are elbowed at 33 and respectively connected with vertical supply pipes 34, 35 and 36 at one side of the machine, as best shown in Figure 8. Each of these vertical pipes 34, 35 and 36 receive water at the proper temperature from a source of supply (not shown) and each is provided with a valve at 31 controlling deliveries to the supply pipes underneath the tank. Each valve 31 has a depending stem 40 which extends through the lower end wall of the vertical supply pipe, as best shown in Figure 13, whereby these valves may be closed by a cam 4| on a cam shaft 42. As cam 4| rotates, its high portion acts upon roller 43 to move arm 44 and rock the shaft 45 in a direction to lift arms 46 and raise the valve stems 40 and close the valves 31. When the low part of the cam 4| registers with roller 43, shaft 45 will rock in the opposite direction and the water pressure in the vertical pipes 34, 35 and 36 will push all of the valves 31 to open position to supply water to the water receiving tanks.

Each water receiving tub is also provided with a drain outlet having a valve 50, as best shown in Figures 8 and 9. These valves close by gravity and may all be simultaneously opened by a cam 5| on the cam shaft 42. This cam 5| bears on a roller 52 at the lower end of the lever 53 which is pivoted to the frame at 55, whereby the high part of the cam will cause the lever to swing to the left and transmit its motion through the link rod 58 to depending arms 51 on valve opening cross shafts 58. Said shafts have arms 59 which swing upwardly when the link rod is drawn to the left and operate all of the drain valves through their depending stems 60, said upwardly swinging arms each registering with one of the drain valve stems. When the low part of the cam 5| is in registry with the roller 52, all of the drain valves will be permitted to close by gravity.

Liquid soap may be supplied to the washing tubs from a single source of supply through a suction pipe 64, (Figs. 8 and 9), pump 65, outlet pipe 66, and branches 66'. The piston 67 of the pump is actuated through an eccentric 88 on cross shaft 42 and the piston rod 69.

Every operation of the conveyor mechanism whereby the respective drums are advanced one step involves a complete rotation of the shafts 42 and 42. Since the cams controlling the water and the soap are operated from the shafts, it will be apparent that in each operation the tubs are emptied and refilled.

The clothes containing drums and the means for advancing them step by step for successive operations will now be described. Each drum I5 ing plates IZI carried by the frame.

is cylindrical in form and provided with a cover or door I6. In the construction shown, three drums compose a set, axially connected with each other at I8 and supported at each end by stud shafts TI, round in cross section except at one end, which are square in cross section, and adapted to be received in correspondingly shaped sockets of clutch members carried by transmission shafts 8| (Figures 5 and 6).

The side members of the frame 2| are provided with open bearing members in which the stud shafts of the several sets of drums may be received when the drums enter the tubs.

To periodically advance the sets of drums from one set of tubs to the next, I employ a set of lifting bars (Figure 1), provided with open bearings or cradles 9| similar to the bearing members 85. These lifting bars are supported from crank pins 93 and 94 carried by crank wheels 95 and 95' on the cam shaft 42 and the parallel cross shaft 42, respectively. The crank pins 93 and 94 are connected with the lifting bars by V-shaped supporting arms 91, the divergent upper ends of which are secured to the lifting bars 90. In the construction shown, the crank wheels 95 are revolved counter-clockwise, and the cradles or saddles 9| on the lifting bars are so located that during the upper half of each crank wheel rotation these saddles will register with and engage all of the drum stud shafts in the open frame bearings 9|, thereby lifting the drums and carryingthem to the left.

As the crank pins descend, the lifting bars will deposit each set of drums in the open bearings 85 associated with the next set of tubs except the last set of the series, where the end set of drums will have their stud shafts deposited in the arcuate depressions I00 in the rear end portions of e the frame bars to support the drums at the unloading station.

The crank wheels 95 on cam shaft 42 are driven by a motor IOI through the gearing I02I03, shaft I04, worm I05 and worm ring I06 on the periphery of the associated crank wheel 95. The

crank wheels on the shaft 42, are driven by connecting link bars I01. The drums at the washing and rinsing stations are rotated by a periodically reversible motor I I0, sprocket chains I I I and H2, and the transmission shafts 8| with their couplings 80 when in engagement with the stud shafts I! of these drums.

At the water expelling station, each set of drums arriving at that station is converted into a spinner after being received in tub-like receptacles IIEa, H52) and II 50, (Figure 5). Each of these receptacles is provided with an open drain port II 6 (Fig. 8) and no water supply connections. To prevent water from being thrown from these receptacles during a spinning operation, each receptacle is provided with a cover I I1, (Figures 16 and 18), which has end walls I I8, each provided with an arcuate rib I I9 mounted to slide in correspondingly curved grooves I20 in support- Normally these covers occupy the depending position in which they are shown in Figures 16 and 18. They are connected by a handle I23 whereby they may be manually swung to a covering position over a set of clothes containing drums at the spinning station. When in this position, the arcuate portions I25 of the end walls ||8 bear upon the upper surfaces of the stud shafts I7 and hold them in the open bearings 85 at this station, the ribs I I 9 being long enough to maintain their engaget'or I3j0' (Fig; 5) whichrotates' the; drumthrough urel) in the :side bars 2I oftheframe; thisbeing the unloading station;

After removing the contentsfrom the drums of this. set, the operator at the unloading stae tion returns the. unloaded; drums to: the vicinity of the loading station by means nowto be de scribed.

An endless drum returning conveyor comprises conveyor chains I40 at the respective sidesv of the machine in vertical planeszwhic'h include the drum stud" shafts, (Figures4, 5, and 14) These chains are provided with hook likeshaft engagingprongs- MI. At their forward'end's, theyare supported by sprocket wheelsor pulleys on a shaft I42 and are driven from a motor I44 through suitable" gearing and asprocket chain mounted on theshaft I 42: At the'rearend: of the machinethe chains run in channelhars I4! and downwardly to pulleys I49- so located that the hook-shaped prongs I4I will engage stud shafts in the frame depressions I00 to lift them and'carry'their associated drums tothe front end of the conveyor, where the stud shafts of this set of drums aredelivered to prongs I55on a vertical" conveyor-I56 having 'its chains mounted-to I run' over sprocket wheels I51 and I58 at there'- spective sides of" the machine. Simultaneously with the delivery of one'set of drums to thisvertical conveyor, the drums strikeaswitch lever I60 which opens the circuit of the motor I44 and-arrests the movement of chains I40. The switch I60 is spring actuated and automatically closes when the-pressure of the contacting'drum is relieved;

The conveyor operates by gravity under the weight of an enga ed. et of'drums tolowerthe drums to the loading, tation under the contr l ofi a brake I55 having. a lever. I66 normally locked inbrake setting position to prevent movements: theconveyor I55 pending a release of the lever I661by the operator at the. loading, station,.who withdrawslatch I from the notched sector I'II' in which. itis normally locked, and releases the brake, as. soon as the lifting bars. BI). have advancedla previously loaded set of drums .from the loading station to the. first washing station. He then. resetsthe brake 155,.p8nding delivery-to conveyor. I56 of another set of .emptydrumsiby conveyor I 40, I

By automatically!- regulating the supply; of waterv to each? washing. and rinsing tub so that each. tub. receives an equal: depth of water 1' in the: limited time that the. supply controlling valves are. open, nd y likewise regul tin the supply of liqui -scan to th washin .tubs andbv using. ro ary drums instcadiof oscillatory drums or: baskets,-.. I. avoid thawaste; which has heretofore. been re arded sex-requirin the use off the same water andsoap forsuccessiverfamily washings,

Rotary drun'is.v equipped with clothes. lifting" ledges I15, (Figure 17'), require, no. great depth of water in the tubs for the reason that. the my tation of; the drum: lifts the clothing: above; the. water and drops it into the water with-consider able: gravity impact, and. a reversal of thedirlection of rotation causes a rearrangement of the clothing so;- that all; portions are subjectedi to impacts during thewashing operations.- Byauto'- mati'cally opening and closing. the valves, the.

tubs can be emptied and refilled without requiring any attention on the part of theoperator;

At the loading station the operator is merely required to release and reset the brakecontrolling: delivery'of a' drum to that station and then load the clothing. in the proper drums. At; the unloading station the. operator has three duties; via-to: operate the handle I 2.3: to cover and: uncover; the drums. at. the spinning station -tm unload; the drums atthe': unloading station-eandsto operate the: switch to. start the motor: and return conveyor.

Therefore: only two operators are required to wash and: deliver complete family washes in a substantially dry condition at regular intervals of aboutafouronfiveminutes..

Every time themotor IEII is operatedito' rotate the shafts 42', 42. 360, the. conveyor framedll connectedwiththe crank pins 93; Mof the wheels 95, 95: hasanzorbitalmovementwhereby the several. cradles 9|" lift the respective shafts: 71* and the .drums mounted:thereon,.transportrtheishafts and drums one station in advance; and. deposit them in thebearing troughs B5 of'the respective tubs. At. the commencement. of the operation, the tubs are drained. and. in the; course of the transporting operation, they are? refilled as alcove described. Accordingly, when the? shafts III areengaged by the dri-vingfchucks 30. at the new station", the drums will be rotated in fresh water by power derived from motor. H0; Since: each such shaft carriesseveral drumshol'cling the different types. of clothing of a single family wash, andsince each type. of clothing iswashed separately in the corresponding tubs in which. the several-i drums are disposed, the color or soil from one: type of clothing willnot affect clothing offothertypes, despite. the fact that all of the clothing. of a given family wash ishandled unitarily. After the drums on a given shaft .have moved fromstaticn to station through the: entireseries of. washing and rinsingoperations, the drums and their contents. will: bercentrifuged. by high speed rotation at a dryingstation where theshaftswill be. engaged bythechuck- I33 driven by an. independent motor: I39; ,Thecentrifuging isaccomplished during, the same. dwell of the movement of the conveyor framexwhich. providestime for the washingandrinsing; operations.

On: thesnext. succeeding g'conveyor framemovement, thesha-ftscarrying the drums whose-contents havebeen centrifuged are deposited at the unloading station IBII" where, an operator in charge of the motors above-described removes.

oonveyorr I56 is held;stationaryby thei brakeitfi' until the operator at the loading station is ready to receive the empty drums. The brake being released, the empty drums descend on conveyor I56. Either in their lowered position or at some intermediate position, the empty drums are loaded with another 'wash and when the shaft carrying them is finally deposited in the path of the conveyor frame, the sequence of operations above described is repeated.

It will, of course, be understood that the cross shafts 42 and 42' have crank lifting bars at each side of the machine, and if desired, all of the tubs maybe provided with covers Ill like those used at the water expelling station.

I claim:

1. In a laundry machine having loading, washing, rinsing, water-expelling, and unloading stations, the combination of a series of enclosed perforated clothes containers having shaft means for their respective rotatable support, means for periodically advancing said containers, step by step, from said loading station to said-Washing, rinsing, water-expelling and unloading stations, liquid receptacles at said washing and rinsing station, a constantly drained receptacle at the water-expelling station, said advancing means comprising means for depositing said containers in said receptacles in the intervals between their step by step advancement, means for rotating the containers in the liquid receptacles, the said receptacles having bearings for the shaft means of said container, and means for revolving each container deposited at the water-expelling station at a speed sufiicient to expel its water content by centrifugal force.

2. A laundry machine as set forth in claim 1. provided with separate manually controlled means for returning said containers from the unloading station to the loading station.

3. A laundry machine as set forth in claim 1, provided with means for automatically draining the washing and rinsing receptacles and supplying them with fresh water concurrently with each advance of the clothes containers.

4. A washing machine provided with parallel rows of sets of transversely aligned tubs, in combination with sets of perforate drums having work receiving openings and provided with sup-- porting means on which they are movable from one set of tubs to another, means for effecting the step by step advance of the drums upon said supporting means from one tub to another, means for draining some of the sets of tubs and supplying them with fresh water concurrently with each drum advance, power driven means for advancing the drums periodically and rotating them in the respective tubs in the intervals between their advancing movements, and separate, manually controlled power driven means for rotating each set of drums at'a water expelling speed at one stage of its advancement.

In a laundry machine, loading, washing and rinsing stations, a series of perforated clothes containers and means for moving them step by step to and beyond said washing and rinsing stations, and returning them successively to said loading station, housing means for enclosing said containers at one stage of their step by step advancement, and manually controlled means for rotating each container at high speed in said housing means.

6. In a laundry machine having a series of sets of tubs providing washing and rinsing stations, and setsof drums having work receiving doors and water admitting openings, eachdrum set being provided with axially disposed stud shafts common to the drums of the set and adapted for coupling engagement with transmission shaft connections associated with said tubsat the respective stations, the combination therewith of supporting means engaging said stud shafts and upon which the'drums are movable power driven means for advancing said drum sets step by step and coupling their shafts with said transmission shaft connections at the respective stations, said power driven means also controlling the admission and exhaust of water. from the tubs before and after each washing and rinsing operation, means for revolving saiddrums at slow speeds at the washing and rinsing stations and at extracting speeds after leaving said stations, and manually operable means for housing said drums while they are revolved at the extracting speeds.

7. In the combination set forth in claim 6, means for delivering each drum to an unloading station after expelling its water content by extraction, and manually controlled means for returning unloaded drums to a loading station preparatory to another advance through the washing and rinsing stations.

8. In a laundry machine, loading, washing, rinsing and unloading stations, perforated rotary drums and means for advancing said rotary. drums from one station to another and rotating them at the washing and rinsing stations, return conveyor means for moving emptydrums from theunloading station to the vicinity of the loading station, an electric motor for operating the return conveyor means, a switch for opening the circuit of the motor, said switch being operable by the returning drum to stop said motor, and manually operable means including control means at the loading station for controlling delivery of an empty drum thereto after it has stopped said motor. i

9. In a laundry machine having a series of loading, washing, rinsing, water expelling, and unloading stations, and a series of perforated clothes containing drums movable step by step from one station to another for loading, washing, rinsing, water expelling and unloading operations, in combination with a motor driven return conveyor for moving unloaded drums from the unloading station to a point above the level of the loading station, a gravity actuated conveyor for receiving the returned drums and depositing them at the loading station, a brake for controlling movementsof the, gravity actuated conveyor, and a drum actuatedswitch for stopping the drum returning conveyor upon delivery of an empty drum to the gravity actuated conveyor.

10. A laundry machine organized for continuous movement of a series of clothes containers from a loading station through a series of servicing stations and unloading station, the combination therewith of a conveyor for returning drums to the vicinity of the loading station, a motor for driving the drum returning conveyor, a manually operable switch for starting said motor, a switch operable by a returning drum for auto matically opening the motor circuit to stop said motor, and manually controlled means at the loading station for delivering a drum from its switch operating position to said loading station.

11. A laundry machine comprising a series of tubs and a frame for said tubs provided with open bearings at stations respectively corresponding to the tubs, a foraminous drum provided with shaft means rotatable in the respective bearings, a conveyor frame having shaft re"' ceiving saddles and operating cranks connected wi h. aid c v o ame or a he. orb ta une ment thereof on a path such thateach; saddle is adapted to pass one of said bearingsin its upward movement and a diifere'nt bearing in its downsaid power source for draining the water from and admitting water to said tub, and driving connections to said driver including speed reducing mechanism whereby said driver is adapted to actuate said shaft means and drum at washing speeds.

13. The combination'set forth in claim 11 in further combination with driving connections to said driver including speed reducing mechanism for actuating said driver to actuate said shaft means and drum at washing speeds, and a separate driver and separate driving connections thereto at another station, said last mentioned connections and driver being operable to actuate the shaft means and driver at extractin speeds.

14. A laundry machine comprising a series of open bearings at successive washing, rinsing and extracting stations at substantially uniform spacing throughout the series, tubs at some of said stations, a driving chuck at the extracting station and power operating connections to drive said chuck at extracting speeds, a driving chuck at the washing station, and connections whereby said last mentioned chuck is driven at washing speeds, a foraminous drum having supporting shaft means engageable in the bearings aforesaid and operable by the respective chucks, and conveyor means for advancing said drum and shaft means from station to station.

15. The combination set forth in claim 14 in which said conveyor means comprises cranks paired at opposite sides of the tubs and a conveyor frame having shaft engaging cradles paired at opposite sides of the tubs at a spacing corresponding to the spacing between said bearings, said conveyor frame being operatively connected with said cranks for orbital movement upon a path such that each pair of said cradles moves upwardly past the bearings at one station and downwardly past the bearings at another station, thereby lifting said drum and shaft means from one tub and its associated bearings and depositing said shaft means in the bearings at another station.

16. In a laundry machine having fixed stations at which selected laundry operations are performed, the combination with a main frame extending at each side of the stations and provided with pairs of oppositely disposed open bearings substantially uniformly spaced at successive stations, of a conveyor frame having pairs of cradles correspondingly spaced and having crank means mounting the conveyor frame for orbital movement from a level below the main frame to a level thereabove and return, said cradles passing positions of alignment with one of said pairs of bearings in the course of their upward movement and positions of alignment with the pairs of bearings of another station in the course of downward movement of said conveyor frame, and a foraminous drum having shaft means en- 1 7. The combination set forth in claim 16 in further combination with a'driving chuck at one .'of said stations having an upwardly opening channel registering with the bearings .thereat,

said shaft means 'being receivable into said channel andsaid-chuck being provided with driving connections for the actuation of said drum with itsshaft means received in the channel of said chuck. l

l8. Thecombination set forth in claim 16 ,in further combination with driving chucks at a plurality of said stations, a low speed driving connection-to one of said chucks, a high speed driving connection to a chuck at a subsequent station, and a tub at the station served by the low speed chuck and positioned to support a liquid in which said foraminous drum will be engaged at said last mentioned station.

19. The combination set forth in claim 18 in which said main frame is provided at the station served by the chuck having high speed driving connections with a cover movable for the admission and discharge of said drum and positioned normally to enclose a drum at said station to confine liquid extracted from the contents of said drum.

20. A laundry machine comprising the combination with a plurality of foraminous drums each provided with oppositely projecting shaft means, of a machine frame provided at successive uniformly spaced initial, final and intermediate stations at which selected laundry operations are performed with pairs of oppositely disposed recesses in which said shaft means are engageable, a conveyor comprising an orbitally movable subframe, pairs of cradles carried by said frame spaced correspondingly to said recesses and adapted in the course of orbital movement to lift said shaft means from one of said pairs of recesses to another, cranks connected with said sub-frame for imparting orbital movement thereto upon a path such that the cradles of the subframe pass a position of alignment with one station in the upward movement of the sub-frame and a position of alignment with another station in the downward movement thereof, a liquid-retaining tub at one of said stations for wetting the contents of the drum at said station, a chuck at said last mentioned station in alignment with the recess thereof and comprising shaft engaging means for the rotation of a drum at said last mentioned station, driving connections for said chuck adapted to rotate it at washing speeds, a second chuck at a subsequent station engageable with the shaft means of a drum at said last mentioned station and provided with driving connections for operation of the drum at extracting speeds, an overhead conveyor having shaft engaging means and arranged to lift drums and their respective shaft meansfrom the final station on said machine frame and return said drum and shaft means to a position over the initial station on said machine frame, and means including a lowering elevator with drum shaft receiving portions for delivery of a drum and shaft means from said overheadconveyor to said initial station.

21. In a laundry machine having a series of washing and rinsing stations, tubs at said stations, a plurality of perforate work containers having shaft means for their rotatable support, bearing means on said tubs with which said shaft means are rotatably engageable, a conveyor 11 system comprising means for thesupport and step by step advance of said containers from the bearing means of one tub to the bearing means of a successive tube, driving means engageable with successive containers at certain of said tubs for the rotation of said containers at Washing and rinsing stations, bearing means on said tubs beyond said washing and rinsing stations with which the shaft means of said containers are engageable, said conveyor means being adapted to progressively advance the containers to said last mentioned bearing means, and driving connections for rotating containers at a water expelling speed when their shaft means are engaged with said last mentioned bearing means.

EINER C. OLSON.

12 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,332,257 Hendrickson Mar. 2, 1920 1,453,606 Sacksteder May 1, 19. 1,598,418 Baumann Aug. 31, 1926 1,845,422 Knutsen Feb. 16, 1932 1,894,694 Knutsen Jan. 17, 1933 1,951,157 Lindberg Mar. 13, 1934 1,969,082 Knutsen Aug. 7, 1934 

